BOSTON CLASSICAL GUITAR SOCIETY

Volume 17, No. 4, June/August 2010 newsletter

Coming Events ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ June 9 – 13, 2010 Boston GuitarFest BCGS ARTIST SERIES NEC, Boston, Events and information at www.bostonguitarfest.org 2010-2011

June 22 – 27, 2010 ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ 2010 GFA Convention, Austin, TX The international classical guitar community's premier event will be held in bustling, historic Paul Galbraith Austin, Texas. This year's host is the Austin October 2, 2010 at 8 p.m. Classical Guitar Society, led by Matthew Hinsley. Jason Vieaux Sat, June 26, 2010, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. BCGS Performance Party November 6, 2010 at 8 p.m. 100 State St # 6, Newburyport, MA 01950

Jul 7 – 11, 2010 Ana Vidovic New York Guitar Seminar at Mannes February 25th, 2011 at 8 p.m. Mannes School of Music, NY 10th New York Guitar Seminar at Mannes The Cutting Edge: New Visions in the Art of Guitar All concerts will take place at First Lutheran Church in Boston. Read more and watch videos at See the Calendar Section for more details our website, www.bostonguitar.org.

Contents Purchase a Season Pass for $99 Letter to Members...... 3 BCGS Artist Series...... 4 or 2 for $160!! Calendar ...... 5 Go to bostonguitar.org now and purchase a Classifieds ...... 5 season pass for next year and save much more when you buy an extra pass for a Summer love ...... 6 member of your family or a non-BCGS member friend. Offer includes: Galbraith, Luthier’s Corner...... 7 Vieaux, Vidovic concerts and Festival 21; does not include our annual fund-raiser concert TBA. BCGS Staff Festival 21, April 16, 2011 Director Daniel Acsadi ...... [email protected] Thanks to all who made this year’s Festival 21 better Thuy Wagner than ever! Special thanks go to our sponsors Augustine, Treasurer ...... [email protected] D’Addario and NEFA as well as those members who Festival 21 Director contributed to the commission fund: Sheridan Kassirer, Frank [email protected] Michael Hurley, Brian Drayton, Arthur Ness, Robert Newsletter Margo and Robert Jackson. Frank Wallace, [email protected] Go to: www.youtube.com/ user/frankwallacecomposer George Ward, Design...... [email protected] to see a summary of this year’s events as well a discus- Will Riley, [email protected]. sion of Festival 21’s newly commissioned piece, “So Acting Membership Director the Poet will be Heard” by José Lezcano, a smash hit Daniel Acsadi ...... [email protected] at the Festival. Mark your calendars for April 16, 2011 Performance Party Coordinator to hear more exciting new music and to participate in Oscar Azaret ...... [email protected] the next new orchestra piece. Grammy award winner AndrewAndrew YorkYork

Teams up with the La Bella family.

ndrew York is one of A today's most visible and innovative classical guitar composers, winning a GRAMMY with the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet during their sixteen year partnership. Andrew’s discography includes “California Breeze,” a new recording for Sony Japan, three solo CD's for the GSP label, ten CD’s with the LAGQ on Delos, Sony and Telarc labels, as well as inclusion on Rhino Records “Legends of Guitar” and numerous other compilations. For the last decade, Andrew’s concert touring schedule has spanned more than thirty countries. Recent concerts include Bogotá Colombia, Ankara Turkey and Andrew’s eleventh tour of Japan. La Bella strings is very happy to welcome such an innovative composer and player to their family.

256 Broadway • Newburgh, NY 12550 • (845) 562-4400 • Fax (845) 562-4491 • www.labella.com www.bostonguitar.org BCGS Newsletter June/August 2010 Letter to Members

Dear Members, The BCGS 2010-11 season is already set, so mark your We have reached the calendars! The lineup of Paul Galbraith, Jason Vieaux, conclusion of a very Ana Vidovic, and Festival 21 will be one of the premier successful 2009-10 series in the United States. Look further in this newsletter season. April’s Festival to read more about our featured artists. 21 was a big hit thanks to Many thanks go out to our supporters, sponsors, volun- not only the amazing teers, and Board of Directors for everything they have performances by Gyan accomplished over the past season. It would not have been Riley, the Chroma Duo, possible without your contributions. The BCGS welcomes Latin Landscapes Trio, your ideas, suggestions, and financial help throughout the Andrew McKenna Lee and the participants of the upcoming months in order to better serve you. Members’ Concert, but by the debut of the BCGS Community Guitar Orchestra. I was delighted to witness Warm regards such a compelling concert from a brand new member- based ensemble. The interactivity and high participation rates of this action-packed day point forward to a great new direction for the Society. Thanks to José Lezcano and , Scott Borg for leading the group in performance and rehearsal. I am especially grateful to Frank Wallace for Daniel Acsadi, Director months of hard work leading up to a phenomenal day of guitar, fun, and friends.

Looking back on the season’s other events, we were blessed with absolutely first-rate performances. The Cavatina Duo’s virtuosity and passion attested to their status as one of the leading flute-guitar duos in the world. Gabriel Bianco showed us why young French guitarists are the talk of the international guitar community. Quarteto Vivace Brasil brought their love of Brazilian music and a unique ensemble sound to Copley Square. The society was honored to have Eliot Fisk appear at our Benefit Concert along with Zaira Meneses, Jerome Mouffe, and Maarten Stragier.

As you begin to make summer plans, make sure to check out Eliot Fisk’s Boston GuitarFest, with the 2010 theme America, America. The festival will present a dizzying array of concerts, workshops, masterclasses, by a lineup that features Jorge Caballero (who gave a great BCGS concert a few years back), Ben Verdery, Michael Chapdelaine, David Starobin, Franz Halasz, Zaira Meneses, and Eliot with world-famous clarinetist Richard Stoltzman. For more information, please go to www.bostonguitarfest.org.

3 June/August 2010 BCGS Newsletter Volume 17, Number 4

Galbraith, Vidovic, and Vieaux head- Summer Love line 2010-11 BCGS Artist Series by Donna Ricci

Paul Galbraith One night my friend Pam and I were talking about love and commitment. She said, “You can have love without commit- The BCGS welcomes Paul Galbraith to kick off the 2010-11 ment and you can have commitment without love, but when Artist Series on October 2nd at 8 pm. A native of Scotland and you have the two together, you’ve found that magical combina- currently residing in Brazil, Paul Galbraith is one of the most tion that comprises true and lasting love.” I thought about this unique guitarists on the international concert scene. He is the statement in the context of my commitment to guitar playing. co-developer of the Brahms guitar, an 8-string instrument that We often judge the quality of our work by technique, emotional uses a higher and a lower string to extend its range. Further- expression and the ability to execute it with confidence. We more, it is played in a cello-like posture, complete with an look to our teachers, colleagues and audience to help us define endpin that connects to a resonator box. The posture, in turn, our talent and reinforce our commitment. While these experi- allows for a freer movement of the arms and prevents the ences inspire our practice, the deeper connections often are player’s body from dampening the vibrations of the instrument. made through small, serendipitous moments that might slip by Paul’s recordings have garnered much praise, especially his us if we are not listening. Last summer, three of these moments, album of French impressionist works and his interpretation of occurred — a young woman turned a coffee shop floor into a Johann Sebastian Bach’s Violin Sonatas & Partitas and his Broadway stage; a couple made a lifelong commitment on a Lute Suites. perfect summer day; and a look in my teacher’s eyes told me I Jason Vieaux had advanced to another level. The juxtaposition of these three A frequent performer across the United States and the winner events crystallized my love and commitment to my art. Here’s of the Guitar Foundation of America competition at only age what happened. nineteen, Jason Vieaux needs little introduction. Gramophone When I first began playing out at the Nutcracker Bakery in magazine called him “among the elite of today’s classical gui- Newburyport, I played into the early evening on Fridays. At tarists.” Jason’s recent recording of Bach’s lute works rose to this time, one of the clerks was a high school senior named number 13 on the Billboard Classical Charts and his arrange- Emily. Emily was a delightful young woman who completed ment of jazz great Paul Metheny’s works have pushed guitar her tasks with efficiency and grace. At times, when no one was repertoire in a fascinating new direction. I was recently struck demanding her attention, I would notice her watching me play. by Jason’s exciting performance of Leo Brouwer’s El She seemed to connect with the music with an innate sense of Decameron Negro (accessible on Youtube). On top of his usual knowing. flawless technique, the listener is immediately taken by his exquisite phrasing and careful attention to articulation, setting By 6:00 p.m. there were long periods when no one entered the Jason’s version apart from other interpreters of this popular shop. It was then that Emily would begin her clean-up. I liked work. Jason will perform for the BCGS on November 6th at this quiet time with just Emily and me. I would use it as an 8 p.m. opportunity to play a new piece that was not quite ready for prime time, knowing my musical mistakes were not causing Ana Vidovic is undoubtedly the most popular guitarist of her discomfort to a patron trying to read the paper. I would call out, generation, and with good reason. Born in Croatia and already “I am going to work on a new piece now, bear with me.” She performing internationally by the age of eleven, Ana completed would say “OK” and begin her closing clean up. I referred to it her studies at the Peabody Conservatory with Manuel Barrueco as the “Emily new music hour.” One evening that summer, as I and has given over one thousand concerts around the globe. struggled with Jobim’s Corcovado, Emily began the floor wash- Ana’s extraordinary technique is highly virtuosic and seeming- ing using a Carol Burnett type of mop and bucket. Only, ly effortless, wonderfully capturing the relentless energy and unlike Carol Burnett, whose movements of slap-stick humor forward drive of pieces such as Bach’s Prelude from the E were intended to create laughter, Emily’s movements were a Major Violin Partita. In contrast, her abilities can also render a study in elegance. She pushed the pail center stage, reached surprisingly intimate painting of Tárrega’s Capricho Árabe. down, strained the cloth rag of the mop, placed the mop onto Ana’s concert will take place on February 25th, 2011, at 8 p.m. the floor and began an unconscious swaying to my Spanish beat. She was lost in the moment of rhythm and sound. I felt All concerts will take place at First Lutheran Church in Boston. the vibration of energy in the room increase. I breathed into it, Read more and watch videos at our website, willing myself to be in the moment, a moment that I knew www.bostonguitar.org. would truly never come again. It was clear this young woman had met her love, the love of movement. Emily left that fall for college to study dance. Last summer she returned home briefly (Continued on page 6)

4 www.bostonguitar.org BCGS Newsletter June/August 2010 Calendar Classifieds

June 9 – 13, 2010 Individual Guitars for Sale Boston GuitarFest NEC, Boston, Events and information at Bartolex MRC-10 All solid wood Classical 10-string. Like www.bostonguitarfest.org new condition. Cedar top. Indian Rosewood Back/sides. Set up in Romantic tuning. Hard Case included. $1095. David June 22 – 27, 2010 Newsam (603) 759-1144, [email protected]. 2010 GFA Convention, Austin, TX C.F. MARTIN/THOMAS HUMPHREY Millenium CTSH, The international classical guitar community's premier event good condition, solid rosewood back and sides, engleman will be held in bustling, historic Austin, Texas. This year's host spruce top, plays well, loud and clear, this is a good one $2,800, is the Austin Classical Guitar Society, led by Matthew Hinsley. call Grant at 617-308 5130 or email [email protected] http://www.guitarfoundation.org/drupal/convention

Sat, June 26, 2010, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Luthiers and Dealers BCGS Performance Party STEPHAN CONNOR, Classical Guitar Maker. Come visit 100 State St # 6, Newburyport, MA 01950 my shop and try out the latest guitars! (508)294-1711, Donna Ricci's Home, phone: 978-499-8282 Cataumet, Mass. [email protected]; www.connorguitars.com. Jul 7 – 11, 2010 HANDCRAFTED GUITARS BY THOMAS KNATT - New York Guitar Seminar at Mannes $1,500-$3,000. Inexpensive guitars for serious students $400- Mannes School of Music, NY $700. La Bella, Hannabach, D'Addario and other strings and 10th New York Guitar Seminar at Mannes The Cutting Edge: accessories - Dynarette thigh cushions - Repairs and New Visions in the Art of Guitar July 7 - 11, 2010 We are Guitarmaking class. 687 Townsend Road, Groton, MA 01450, thrilled to announce the 10th New York Guitar Seminar at 1-978-448-9663, [email protected], Mannes bringing together an international faculty of renowned www.ziplink.net/~tknatt. performers and teachers for five full days of activities in New York City, the musical melting pot of the world. Artists include UNION MUSIC. Good selection of new classical guitars David Tanenbaum, David Starobin, John Schneider, Mark including Kenny Hill's California made "Master Series" and Ribot, Marco Cappelli, Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo, among Signature "double top" models. We also carry Hill's new line of many others. Artists Subject to Change All events/concerts take all solid French polish guitars, Rodriguez from Spain, and Jean place at: Mannes College the New School for Music 150 West Larrivee. Used guitars include: 1975 Casa Sors $1800; 85th Street New York, NY, 10024 Barcelona, Ricardo Sanchis, Valencia, $1995; and Jorge http://69.94.104.115/gi/index.php?option=com_content&view=a Montalvo, $1100. Strings including Galli and Hannabach, rticle&id=13&Itemid=28 accessories and excellent on-site repairs by luthier David Dick. For more information please contact classical guitarist Carl Kamp by phone: (800) 213-0013 or (508) 753-3702, email: [email protected], website: www.unionmusic.com, or visit our climate-controlled showroom at 142 Southbridge St, Worcester, MA 01608.

THOMAS KNATT TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD - Luthier–Guitars & Violins Classified Ads are $10 per issue up to 32-words, plus $0.25 for each additional word. This fee includes a print ad in the newslet-

ORKSHOP LW LGI La Gitana Instruments 687 Townsend Rd., Groton MA 01450 ter and posting on our website, bostonguitar.org, until the next W

S Instrument Making Classes quarterly newsletter is published. Ad copy and payment must be ’ • Removable neck guitars for airline travel • OM fingerstyle guitars received in February, May, August, or November to guarantee • Classical guitars in the Bouchet–Friedrich tradition placement. Send inquiries to [email protected]; send checks • Custom Repairs • Strings & Accessories–mail and email to BCGS, P.O. Box 470665, Brookline, MA 02447, or PayPal the UTHIER web: www.ziplink.net/~tknatt email: [email protected] payment to [email protected]. L phone: 1-978-448-9663

5 June/August 2010 BCGS Newsletter Volume 17, Number 4

Summer Love (continued) Performance Party and played his instruments. Rich had been a fine detail carpenter for thirty years. About ten years ago he began making guitars with a Russian master luthier, Georgy and told me she would be leaving soon because she had been Babichev of St. Petersburg, Russia. I liked Rich’s approach. accepted to be part of a six-week summer program in Manhattan His attention to detail is impressive. I went to Rich’s studio in with the Mark Morris Dance troupe. She left to spend the sum- Connecticut and spent hours with him looking at various cuts of mer with this love. wood. And while I told myself I had not made up my mind, Later that summer I was asked to play for a small wedding party there was no doubt. I was ready for the custom fit. I decided on on the beach at Plum Island. The bride and groom, a May- Madagascar rosewood and German spruce, a radiused fret December couple chose a perfect summer day. For a time, the board and a double-curved head stock. I researched sacred beauty of the sea and shore and a lone guitarist made up the geometry to choose a rosette that would reflect my beliefs. And only focal point, elements brought together to create a blessed then I waited. By Valentine’s week-end, it was in my arms. altar. I played as we waited for the groom to arrive, an elderly Because of a small glitch, there was a question as to whether I man clearly having difficulty walking, yet moving with grace. would keep this instrument or if he would make me another. While the beautiful bride walked down the boardwalk onto the While I considered, my love began to grow. The tone began to sand to meet her groom, I played the most romantic tune I come alive with each stroke. I decided to accept it with its knew. The wedding vows were touching; two people had found slight flaw. After all, it is going to have to put up with all of each other and made the commitment “until death do us part” mine. that beautiful summer evening. My guitar and I were the last to Last summer, a young woman, in love with movement, leave, playing the bridal piece one more time at the water’s embarked on a lifelong career that will embrace this love. edge. Last summer, a couple, made a lifetime commitment, their Six months later the bride called saying her husband had passed moments together as husband and wife barely spanning two away the previous week, succumbing to an illness that had seasons. begun to make itself known around the time of their wedding. I was honored to play at the Celebration of Life luncheon she was Last summer, I began the search for the instrument that would giving the following week. I thought of the short time they had advance my playing and reflect my deeper commitment to had together and felt the irony of the fact that, in my nascent music. Now, my new guitar and I are experiencing the intimacy career, I had experienced the entire life span of one couple. of true love. During a lesson last summer, John Tavano, my teacher, stopped How long will it last? None of us can ever really know. But I me mid-piece and said, “Donna, it’s time for you to get a new am fairly certain we will make it through the summer. guitar. “What do you mean?” I asked defensively, “I love my * * * guitar!” I held it close to my chest, a protective mother or an Donna Ricci is a member of the Boston Classical Guitar ardent lover about to see her sweetheart ripped from her. He Society. She is a Clinical Psychologist in Brookline and a Reiki went on to explain that, while my commercially made Flamenco Master Practitioner who lives and plays in Newburyport. She style Cordoba guitar served me well, in order for my playing to can be reached at [email protected]. improve I needed a better-sounding instrument. I found myself questioning whether I could afford it. I told myself the search for a new guitar would take up a lot of time that I didn’t have. But neither of these excuses was at the root of my hesitancy. I ~ GET INVOLVED ~ realized that up until then I hadn’t felt worthy of a new guitar. It’s not as if I felt I didn’t have the right to have one. Rather, the BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER THIS SEASON process of becoming an artist is an organic, evolving one. I knew that if I hadn’t made the investment of time, hard work VOLUNTEER, BE A PART OF THE MUSIC. and love, a more expensive instrument was not going to get me there. So until this point, my Cordoba was the material I had to THE BCGS NEEDS YOUR HELP work with, and we were doing just fine. But something in IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: John’s look when he made his proclamation connected with the artist in me, and over the next few weeks I heard the truth in his PUBLICITY words. So last summer, I began the search. I looked at commer- CONCERTS cially made instruments, but none seemed better than my MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Cordoba. I was reminded of the phase: looking for a perfect fit NEWSLETTER STAFF in an “off the rack” world. As the summer waned, I met luthier Rich Young at a BCGS

6 www.bostonguitar.org BCGS Newsletter June/August 2010

Luthier’s Corner: ALC: I noticed that your spruce guitars have a wonderful singing quality. Is there a reason? A Interview with Luthier Franco Marino FM: Well, I aim for that. I only use older wood in the construction. visiting from Sicily I also find that the species of spruce I use is quite special, it is the same species Stradivari used with his violins, though not that old. by Aaron Larget-Caplan ALC: What do you look for in a guitar? FM: Sound and playability. A musician can be lifted or pulled down by an instrument, so it must be responsive and easy to play. Regarding sound, a guitar needs to do more than just sing, it needs to have its own voice that the player can use in bringing life to the interpretation. I find many guitarists slow down their tempi on my guitars, for the sounds want more space, though it is not difficult to play fast. ALC: You told me earlier that you have always worked with wood. Why? FM: Since I was a child I could always communicate with trees. I could, in essence, see what the tree could become, be it a boat, a chair, a fishing pole or even a guitar. So as I grew older I learned to recognize certain characteristic that distinguished one tree from another, and how to work the wood. Carmen and Franco Marino ALC: Your son plays guitar, yes? FM: Yes, he is a student at the Conservatory in Messina. It is because of him that I started building. We went looking for a guitar and we could not find any that were of quality. I came home and decided that I could build a good and respectable guitar, so I did. ALC: Does your son get to play your guitars? FM: Yes, he is quite happy with them. One of the proudest moments of my life was when my son auditioned for the conservatory on my guitar. It was like we were both being judged. The Conservatory adjudicators were happy with both of us! ALC: Favorite music on the guitar? FM: Anything played well and with heart. I love beautiful music. ALC: Best espresso in Boston? FM: Café Graffiti in the North End. ALC: Favorite places in Boston/Cambridge? May 1, 2010 FM: Along the Charles River seeing the English Architectural ALC: Thank you so much for sitting down with me, Franco. influences; Jordan Hall, and any BCGS event! The BCGS events FM: I have very much enjoyed meeting with the members of the were great to attend. All the players were very kind and had a good BCGS, so it is my pleasure. time playing my guitars. ALC: Did you apprentice or have any teachers or mentors in the ALC: Well Franco, it was wonderful getting together and talking development of your guitar building? guitars. Thank you for your time, and please visit us often! FM: No. I have worked with wood all of my life, so the construc- FM: Yes, and I do hope to see you and the many good people of tion aspect was more technical. For study I investigated the con- the Boston Classical Guitar Society in Sicily! struction of Spanish guitars. I decided to work with the old [tradi- tional] Spanish Method of Torres. I find this method allows for the For more information visit Franco Marion’s website: most beautiful of tones and singing quality to come forth from the www.FrancoMarinoLiutaio.it instrument. Aaron Larget-Caplan, is a Boston guitarist. He has released ALC: Is there a certain sound you look for in a guitar you build? two solo CDs, and enjoys music, food and sunshine. FM: I am from Sicily, so the guitars I build have the traditional www.AaronLC.com character of a Sicilian guitar: lyricism with sweet dolce sounds.

7 June/August 2010 BCGS Newsletter Volume 17, Number 4 QUALITY CLASSICAL GUITARS Handmade Guitars by Kenny Hill, Rodriguez, Laraviee, and Others Taylor & Martin New Cutaway Electronics Flamenco Guitars Used & Consignment Guitars

Strings, Accessories and Excellent On-Site Luthier Repairs

(90 Day 0% Financing Available)

www.unionmusic.com 800-213-0013 or 508-753-3702 email: [email protected] 142 Southbridge St., Worcester, MA 01608 UNION MUSIC

P.O. Box 470665. Brookline, MA, 02447 (Address Correction Requested)

★★★★★★★★★★★★★ BCGS ARTIST SERIES ★★★★★★★★★★★★★ Paul Galbraith October 2, 2010 Jason Vieaux November 6, 2010 Ana Vidovic February 25th, 2011

www.bostonguitar.org 8